Exploring shared services from an IS perspective: a literature review and research agenda

Shared services have gained significance as an organizational arrangement, in particular for support functions, to reduce costs, increase quality and create new capabilities. The Information Systems (IS) function is amenable to sharing arrangements and information systems can enable sharing in other functional areas. However, despite being a promising area for IS research, literature on shared services in the IS discipline is scarce and scattered. There is still little consensus on what shared services is. Moreover, a thorough understanding of why shared services are adopted, who are involved, and how things are shared is lacking. In this article, we set out to progress IS research on shared services by establishing a common ground for future research and proposing a research agenda to shape the field based on an analysis of the IS literature. We present a holistic and inclusive definition, discuss the primacy of economic-strategic objectives so far, and introduce conceptual frameworks for stakeholders and the notion of sharing. We also provide an overview of the theories and research methods applied. We propose a research agenda that addresses fundamental issues related to objectives, stakeholders, and the notion of sharing to lay the foundation for taking IS research on shared services forward

Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda

Shared services have gained significance as an organizational arrangement, in particular for support functions, to reduce costs, increase quality, and create new capabilities. The information systems (IS) function is amenable to sharing arrangements and information systems can enable sharing in other functional areas. However, despite being a promising area for IS research, literature on shared services in the IS discipline is scarce and scattered. There is still little consensus on what shared services is. Moreover, a thorough understanding of why shared services are adopted, who are involved, and how things are shared is lacking. In this article, we set out to progress IS research on shared services by establishing a common ground for future research and proposing a research agenda to shape the field based on an analysis of the IS literature. We present a holistic and inclusive definition, discuss the primacy of economic-strategic objectives so far, and introduce conceptual frameworks for stakeholders and the notion of sharing. We also provide an overview of the theories and research methods applied. We propose a research agenda that addresses fundamental issues related to objectives, stakeholders, and the notion of sharing to lay the foundation for taking IS research on shared services forward

An Institutional Logics Perspective on the Implementation of Performance Measurement Systems in the Public Sector

L'objecte d'estudi d’aquesta tesi doctoral són les relacions entre les lògiques institucionals i les decisions i pràctiques de mesurament del rendiment dins el context del sector públic. Es presenta com un compendi de tres estudis o treballs de recerca. El primer estudi revisa la literatura existent sobre la lògica institucional i sobre el mesurament de l'acompliment en el sector públic. El mesurament de l'acompliment el concebem com una presa de decisions, i ens basem en la teoria de la lògica institucional com a font complementària d'explicació de les variacions observades en la implementació de sistemes de mesurament de l'acompliment (performance measurement systems o PMS). A partir dels estudis analitzats, presentem un model que il·lustra les relacions recursives entre la lògica institucional i cadascuna de les fases del procés de decisió en el mesurament de l'acompliment. El segon estudi contrasta, des del punt de vista empíric, la hipòtesi que les lògiques institucionals actuen com a marcs de referència per als actors d'una organització, que influeixen en la manera com els actors perceben les situacions ambigües. Des del context de la psicologia cognitiva, es fa un disseny experimental en el qual “es prioritzen” tres lògiques institucionals. Els resultats de l'experiment proporcionen dades empíriques que avalen la influència de la lògica institucional en la percepció i el judici. El tercer estudi es fonamenta en el segon, ja que analitza la influència de la lògica institucional en la percepció i el judici, en el context de l'ús d'un sistema de mesurament de l'acompliment. Les conclusions no tan sols donen suport a la influència de la lògica institucional en les preferències d'acompliment-ús del sector públic, sinó que també mostren diferents graus de solapament entre la lògica institucional i el seu suport a diferents usos de PMS. En conjunt, aquests tres estudis són un intent d’entendre millor la influència dels marcs cognitius –concretament, de la lògica institucional– en la implementació d’un sistema de mesurament de l’acompliment en el sector públic.El objeto de estudio de esta tesis doctoral son las relaciones entre las lógicas institucionales y las decisiones y prácticas de medición del rendimiento en el contexto del sector público. Se presenta como un compendio de tres estudios o trabajos de investigación. El primer estudio revisa la literatura existente sobre la lógica institucional y sobre la medición del desempeño en el sector público. Concebimos la medición del desempeño como una toma de decisiones y nos basamos en la teoría de la lógica institucional como fuente complementaria de explicación de las variaciones observadas en la implementación de sistemas de medición del desempeño (performance measurement systems o PMS). A partir de los estudios analizados, se presenta un modelo que ilustra las relaciones recursivas entre la lógica institucional y cada una de las fases del proceso de decisión en la medición del desempeño. El segundo estudio contrasta empíricamente la hipótesis de que las lógicas institucionales actúan como marcos de referencia para los actores de una organización, influyendo en la forma en que los actores perciben las situaciones ambiguas. Bajo el contexto de la psicología cognitiva, se lleva a cabo un diseño experimental en el cual se “priman” tres lógicas institucionales. Los resultados del experimento proporcionan datos empíricos que avalan la influencia de la lógica institucional en la percepción y el juicio. El tercer estudio se fundamenta en el segundo, pues analiza la influencia de la lógica institucional en la percepción y el juicio, en el contexto del uso de un sistema de medición del desempeño. Las conclusiones no solo respaldan la influencia de la lógica institucional en las preferencias de desempeño-uso del sector público, sino que también muestran distintos grados de solapamiento entre la lógica institucional y su apoyo a distintos usos de PMS. En conjunto, estos tres estudios constituyen una tentativa para entender mejor la influencia de los marcos cognitivos –en concreto, la lógica institucional– en la implementación de un sistema de medición del desempeño en el sector público.This PhD dissertation focuses on the relationship between institutional logics and performance measurement decisions and practices within the public sector. The dissertation is organized as a compendium of three research papers or studies. Consequently, in study one, we review the literature on institutional logics and performance measurement in the public sector. We conceptualize performance measurement as decision-making and draw on the theory of institutional logics as a complementary source to explain observed variations in performance measurement system (PMS) implementation in public sector organizations. Furthermore, we define a model that illustrates the recursive relationships between institutional logics and each phase of the performance measurement decision-making process. In study two, we test the assumption that institutional logics act as reference frameworks for organizational actors and that they influence how organizational actors perceive ambiguous situations. Thus, we draw on insights from cognitive psychology to prime three unique institutional logics in an experimental design setting. We then provide empirical evidence on the influence that institutional logics have on perception and judgment. The third study builds on the second by exploring the influence of institutional logics on perception and judgment within the context of performance measurement system use in the public sector. Our findings not only provide evidence of the influence that institutional logics have on public sector performance-use preferences; they also show degrees of overlap between institutional logics and their influence on the use of various PMS. Altogether, the three studies in this dissertation represent tentative steps towards a better understanding of the influence that cognitive frameworks and institutional logics, specifically, have on PMS implementation in the public sector

Exploring Shared Leadership and Multi-Organizational Collaboration in Sport for Development and Peace

Although multi-organizational collaborations have become a trend in the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) sector, existing research remains limited to collaborations between two organizations. Further, researchers continue to report managerial challenges of the multi-organizational collaborations and emphasize leadership as a key component for achieving desired outcomes in SDP collaborations. Thus, the purpose of this research was to explore the role of shared leadership in multi-organizational SDP collaboratives. Three research questions guided this study to explore the role of shared leadership through the lived experiences of SDP practitioners: (a) How is leadership shared between members in multi-organizational SDP collaboratives?, (b) What potential benefits do SDP practitioners perceive shared leadership may have for the multi-organizational SDP collaboratives?, and (c) What challenges may limit the development of shared leadership? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 30 representatives involved in citywide multi-organizational collaboratives (i.e., Laureus Sport for Good Coalitions). Publicly available organizational documents were also examined as supplemental data source. Four themes emerged in response to RQ1: (a) strategic planning, (b) support from vertical leaders, (c) shared events, and (d) personal characteristics. Further, five elements were identified addressing RQ2: (a) collective impact, (b) capacity building, (c) organizational learning, (d) cohesion, and (e) shared responsibilities. Four elements also emerged concerning RQ3: (a) leadership dynamics, (b) level of information sharing, (c) level of understanding about shared leadership, and (d) quality of engagement. Theoretically, these findings lead to a deeper understanding of development, benefits, and challenges of shared leadership as well as multi-organizational SDP collaboratives. In addition, the findings from this study have important practical implications. A set of specific strategies were identified based on the findings of this study to help guide SDP leaders and practitioners to fully leverage the potential of shared leadership in multi-organizational collaboratives. Overall, findings from this study help practitioners understand that employing shared leadership takes time and leaders need to be mindful of common challenges while being intentional about their actions. A number of ready-now strategies are presented, which SDP organizations and leaders can utilize to develop and support the use of shared leadership